Pass case



Jan. 31, 1933. w R VBUXTON 1,895,782

PASS CASE I Filed March 10, 1931 22 J 6 25 /i v INVENTOR. M /YER RBqxro/v A TORNEYS.

. may be turnedlike leaves of a book the user to. rapidlyfind the desired envelope Patented Jan. 31, 1933 mm a. mrxron, er Lonamnow, msacnusn'rrsf Application filed larch 10, 1981. Serial Ko.521 ,412.

This invention relates to improvements in 1 pass cases. The invention has one important use in connection with bill folds,.-enabling pass cards or the like, one or more as desired,-f to be conveniently carried in a bill fold. 4 Thus the invention in one as ect may 'be said to relate to a combination b1ll fold and pass case, although the invention is capable "of".

other uses.

While the pass cards be placed di rectly in the ockets of the bill fold, this does not satis K many users who tperefer an arrangement w ereby the ass car maybe quickly and conveniently 'splayed while retained within window envelopes or envelopes made wholly of transparent material. A desirable arrangement involves a thin ed mounting of these envelopes, so that t ,enabling and display t e card therein. ,Apermanent mounting of the card containing envelopes in tion, a rigid binding of the envelopes to the a 'is not expansible and contract the bill fold is usually riot desired. Most users prefer an arrangement whereby the envelopes may be readily attached to a standard bill fold and as readily detached therefrom when use of the cards is notirequired.

Itv has, been pro osed heretofore, as a means of meeting tiiese conditions, toprovide a plurality of card-carrying envelopes permanently connected for hingin movementto a flexiblestrap, the 'ends of w 1011 are tucked into pockets ofa bill fold. Such an arrangement is open to the obifction thatit needs of the user. Sometimes a single enmany are necessary. An'deal solution 0 the problem demands a detachable mountin of the envelopes on their retaining strap with provisions enabling one-to carry as many or as few envelopes as are necessar or desired.

Moreover, having in mind that t e envelopes form very still leaves because of the celluloid or like material used in their construcretainin strap does not afford an ideal solution. T e permanent binding of the leaves to the retainin strap affords a hinged mounting which acks easy flexibility. Since le to suit the bill 'fold.

theleaves are relatively inflexible in thein- "selves, the binding ought to afford a large measure of flexibility andthis is not. avail--- able with the forth.- y Y The general object of theinvention is'to rovide in adevice'of hinging movement relatively thereto.

prior art binding, aboveset p the class described, a oos leaf mounting of'the card-carrying Another object of the invention is to pro.-

vide for the loose leaf mounting by a tongue fandfslotfor equivalent connection between the flexible retaining strap and the relatively less flexible card-containing leaves,--the latterbeing readily detachable from thestrap when the same is withdrawn from the pockets of the bill fold because the strap is flexible andcaii readily bend enough to permit the disengagement. 1A characterizing feature'of this arrangement is'that the ends of the strap are inserted in two closely spaced pockets which serve to hold the strap against such spreading 'or bending movement as would permit accidental disengagement "of Y the envelopes. i

Other objects and advantages will appear as the'detailed' description proceeds an will bejpointed out in the'appended claims.

The invention will be disclosed for illustrative purposes with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

. Fig. 1 is an 'elevational view of an open, billdfold with which the pass retainer may be 'velope only needs to be carried. At othersg Fig. 2 is a like view Fig. 6v is a cross sectional the line 66 of Fig. 5; and

7 is a top plan view of the pass're-' tainmg device prior to connection withthe view taken on Referring tothe drawingt The bill fold, shown by way .of illustrative example, comvicecombined with the bill old;

f the retaining strap I I prises an outer wall 10, and an inner wall composed of three sections, of which the two marked 11 are tubular and the central section, marked 12, is telescopically received in the confronting. and closely spaced open ends of the tubular sections 11. The outer ends of these tubular sections are suitably closed,'

1 in this case by end-flaps 13, each connected to an end of the outer wall and interlocked with the outer ply of the adjacent tubular section. Thesefiaps also .retainthe several parts in the relation shown. The bill fold has a central transverse lin'eof told 14 about which one half may be folded over and upon the other to close the bill fold. This particular bill fold construction is illustrative of a gen'eraljtyp'e with which the invention may be'used. The particular construction shown The only tion of the strap lie substantially coincident withthe line of fold 14 andends 18 which are preferably more or less pointed, as shown, to facilitate inserin the pockets15. As shown in Fig.5, by ar the larger portion of this strapis contained within the pockets and only a short central area is exposed between closed;

the open ends of these pockets. The strap is of-a width such as to substantiallyjfill the ockets in order to snugly retain the strap, although permitting it suificientfreedom to slide easily therein in a longitudinal direction to avoid buckling when the bill fold is The card containing envelopes may ,be

, variously constructed as desired. It is usualdesired to display the cardwithout withdrawal of it from the envelope. This necessitates that the envelope be constructed at least in part of transparent material. Generally, celluloid or the like is'used for the purpose and this means that the envelope is relatively. stilf and inflexible. By preference, I construct the envelopes entirely of cellu loid or the like although, as I have indicated,

' this is not necessarily essential to the present invention. As shown, a strip of suchmaterial is doubled over, forming two walls 19, integrally connected at 20. Between these walls 19 one or more cards (usually two placed back to back) may be inserted. To retain the walls 19against accidental separation, ears 21 are formed, one along each side edge of one.

wall 19 and overlying t e other wall 19. The material being resilient, the last mentioned wall 19 may be sprung out from in under the ears 21 and the two walls 19sprung apart to enable easy insertion or removal of the cards.

the side walls, of the slot.

pockets '15 having con-' The preferred means of securing the loose-leaf mounting of these envelopes on the retaining strap is by the use of a tongue and slot connection. Conveniently, the slot is in' the strap and the tongue on the envelope. The arrangement, however, is capable of variation and the important feature is that there are grooves in the envelope to receive parts of the strap whether or not the strap is slotted. As shown, the strap has a wide central slot 22 and there may be slits, as at 23, to enable'easy lateral spreading of The envelopes have a T-sha Jed tongue 24 formed on at least one andpre erably both of the walls 19 adjacent their unconnected ends. The tongue 24 afiords grooves 25 in which those portions of the strap 16 which border'on the sides of 11 slot 22 are received, the central portionor narrow neck of the tongue lying between these grooves being received in slot. 22. It will be appreciated that the side walls ofslot 22 can be readily spread apart far enough to permit insertion of the larger part of tongue 24 and then moved toward one'another to engage the strap in grooves 25.

The problem comes in preventing'separation of such walls and the resulting disengagement of the envelopes from the strap. This problem is solved by inserting the strap in the pockets 15 with a snug'enough' fit and having the pockets so closely spaced that spreading of the side walls of slot'22 is prevented at least to a degree sufficient to permit disengagement of the envelopes there- 'from. The tubular sections 11, inwhich the strap closely but'slidably fits, and particularly the side walls 26 thereof, confine the side edges'of the strap so closely that spreading of the same in the short exposed central portion of the strap is prevented at. least to a degree suflicient for the purpose. The action, which is essentially one of confining the sides of thestrap and holding the strap in fold is closed. The tubes 11 then slide in more closely to the hinge line 17, leaving appreciably lessv area of the strap exposed out side the pockets andconsequently permitting even less spreading" of the walls of the slotv 22 than was permitted when the bill fold was open. The tubes 11 are spacedsufiiciently close so as to prevent disengagement of the envelopes from the'strap when the bill told is open, but when the bill told is closed the envelopes are held more tightly in "place. This is a desirable'feature' becausethe envelopes are held more tightly when not in use and, when use of them is required, as when the bill fold is opened, the holding means is relaxed to an extent to permit easy movement of the envelopes. Theycan swing easily on their, hinge connection to the retaining strap and also slide along it to a certain extent.

-The'invention is not confined entirely to flat form, is increased when the bill vention, any other means which can be slid along the strap to hold it in flat form and confine its side edges against spreading at a location adjacent the slot 22, may be used. So also, the bill fold which really forms a pair of hinged covers for the loose leaf binder 16, is not essential for all purposes, although it is the type of cover most generally used.

The invention affords a desirable form of loose leaf binder for relatively stiff leaves, such as the envelopes described, enabling as many or as few to be carried as desired and enabling full freedom of movement of the leaves on the binder strap to permit nick and convenient selection and display 0 the desired pass card. This loose leaf binder is characterized by tubular or at least part1 tubular elements which are slidable along the binder strap into position to confine its side edges against such spreading and prevent the strap from bending to such an extent as might cause disengagement of the leaves from the binder.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a flexible binder strap, a relatively stiff and not readily flexible leaf having opposed grooves near one end thereof in which grooves edges of said strap are engaged to permit swinging and limited sliding movement of the leaf relatively to the strap, and means-slidably engaged with the strap on opposite sides of said leaf and movable into position to hold said edges against disengagement from said grooves.

2. In combination, a flexible binder strap having intermediate its ends a slot two edges of which substantially parallel the side edges of the strap, a relatively stiff and not readily flexible leaf having near'one end a T-shaped ton e affording opposed grooves in which sai edges are slidably engaged, and means slidably engaged withsaid strap on o posite sides of said leaf to confine the side e ges of the strap against spreading apart to an extent suflicient to disengage the first named edges from said grooves.

3. In combination, a flexible binder strap, a relatively stiff and not readily flexible leaf having opposed grooves near one end thereof in wh1ch grooves edges of said strap are engaged to permit swinging and limited sliding movement of the leaf relatively to the strap, and tubular members each closely fitting and slidably engaging said strap and disposed one on .each side of said leafand in close proximity thereto to hold said edges against disengagement from said ooves.

near one end a pair 0 y which the central exposed portion of said of the strap," a relatively stiff and not readily flexible leaf having near one end a T-shaped tongue affordin o posed grooves in which said edges are s ldi ly engaged, and tubular members each closely fitting and slidably engaging said strap and disposed one on each side of said leaf and in closeproximity thereto to confine the side edges of the strap against spreading to an extent suflicient to disengage the first named edges from said grooves. 5. In combination, a pair of cover members hinged together each having on its inner face a pocket, said pockets disposed one on each side of the hinged connection of the covers and having confronting open ends lo.- cated in close proximity to said connection, a. flexible binder strap engaged in part in one pocket and in part in the other pocket and spanning the space therebetween, and a relatively stiff and not easilfy flexible leaf having opposed grooves in strap is engaged to permit sliding and swinging of the leaf, without bending the same.

6. In combination, a pair of cover members hinged together each having on its inner face a pocket, said pockets disposed one on each side of the hinged connection of the covers and having confronting open ends located in close proximity to said connection, a flexible binder strap engaged in part in one pocket and in part in theother pocket and spanning the space therebetween, said strap having a slot in the portion exposed between said pockets, a relatively stiff and not easily flexible leaf having near one end a T-shaped tongue extending through said slot'and affording grooves in which portions of the strap bordering on said slot are engaged to permit sliding and swinging of the leaf relatively thereto.

7. In a device of the class described, a display container for cards, comprising, a strip of resilient transparent material doubled over to form two integrally united walls between which a card may be received, the free ends of each of said walls having a pair of grooves, and a binder strap slidably engaged in 'said grooves and partially closing one end of the card containerto prevent escape of the card therein.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 4. In combination, a flexible binder strap having intermediate its ends a slot two edges of which substantially parallel the side edges 

